Calgary Tower Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Calgary Tower

General information
Status	Complete
Type	Observation tower, Attraction
Address	101 9 Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 1J9
Coordinates	51°02′40″N 114°03′49″W / 51.04444°N 114.06361°W / 51.04444; -114.06361
Construction started	February 19, 1967
Completed	1968
Opening	June 30, 1968
Cost	CA$3,500,000 (1967)
Owner	Aspen Properties
Height
Antenna spire	190.8 m (626 ft)
Technical details
Lifts/elevators	2
Design and construction
Architect	W.G. Milne & A. Dale and Associates

The Calgary Tower is a tall observation tower in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It stands about 190.8-meter (626 ft) (626 feet) high. When it first opened on June 30, 1968, it was called the Husky Tower.

The tower was built by two companies, Marathon Realty and Husky Oil. They wanted to help make downtown Calgary better. They also wanted to celebrate Canada's 100th birthday in 1967.

Building the tower cost CA$3,500,000 (about $3.5 million). It weighs around 10,884 tonnes. More than half of its weight is underground. When it opened, it was the tallest building in Calgary. It was also the tallest in Canada outside of Toronto. In 1971, its name was changed to the Calgary Tower.

The Calgary Tower is one of the first members of the World Federation of Great Towers. This is a group of famous towers from around the world.

History of the Calgary Tower
- How the Tower Was Planned and Built
- Changes Over the Years
What the Tower Looks Like Inside
Gallery
See also

History of the Calgary Tower

How the Tower Was Planned and Built

Marathon Realty and Husky Oil decided to build the tower for a few reasons. They wanted to honor Canada's 100th anniversary. They also hoped it would help renew and grow the downtown area.

The tower was designed by A. Dale and Associates. It was built to be very strong. It can stand up to earthquakes and winds as fast as 161 km/h (100 mph) (100 miles per hour).

Construction started on February 19, 1967. It took only 15 months to build. The main part of the tower was made from a single, continuous pour of concrete. This started on May 15, 1967, and finished 24 days later. The concrete grew about 7.6 m (25 ft) (7.6 meters) each day. This was seen as an amazing building achievement.

When it was finished, the Husky Tower was 190.8 m (626 ft) (626 feet) tall. It was the tallest structure of its kind in North America. It was much taller than any other building in Calgary at the time.

At first, the builders said the tower would be only 187 m (614 ft) (614 feet) tall. They did this so other builders wouldn't try to build a taller tower right away. But when another tower in San Antonio, Texas was announced as 190 meters tall, the Calgary Tower's true height was revealed.

The Husky Tower officially opened to the public from June 28-30, 1968. It had a restaurant and lounge called the Hitching Post on its observation level.

Changes Over the Years

The Calgary Tower in 1978, showing its first red and yellow colors

In 1970, Marathon Realty took over most of the tower's ownership. On November 1, 1971, the tower was officially renamed the Calgary Tower. This was done to honor the people of Calgary. However, airport officials still call it the Husky Tower. This helps them tell it apart from the control tower at the Calgary International Airport.

In 1983, the west tower of the Petro-Canada Centre became the tallest building in Calgary. It was now taller than the Calgary Tower.

The tower was updated between 1987 and 1990. A gift shop and a new revolving restaurant were added. This cost $2.4 million. In 1990, a glass lobby was built at the tower's base.

A large natural gas torch was built at the top of the tower in 1987. It was a gift from Canadian Western Natural Gas for the 1988 Winter Olympics. The torch uses a lot of gas, about 850 cubic metres (30,000 cu ft) (30,000 cubic feet) every hour. It was first lit on February 13, 1988, when the Games began. It stayed lit 24 hours a day during the Olympics. Today, it is still lit for special events, like Canada Day.

In 1989, the Calgary Tower became a founding member of the World Federation of Great Towers. Other famous towers like the Eiffel Tower are also part of this group. In 1993, the tower celebrated its 25th birthday. That year, more than 500,000 people visited it for the first time.

A new glass floor was added to the observation deck on June 24, 2005. It is on the north side of the tower. When you stand on it, you can look straight down to the street below!

An LED lighting system was added to the outside of the tower. It was first tested on August 1, 2014. These lights can create over 16.5 million different colors and effects. Since October 8, 2014, the tower has looked even more amazing at night.

What the Tower Looks Like Inside

The upper deck of the tower

The Calgary Tower has a special revolving restaurant called Sky 360. It slowly spins around while you eat. This gives you a changing view of downtown Calgary. The restaurant makes a full circle every 45 minutes during the day. At night, it takes 60 minutes.

The bottom of the tower is connected to other buildings. It uses the +15 skyway network. This is a system of walkways above the street. You can walk from the tower to places like One Palliser Square and the Fairmont Palliser Hotel.

There are 802 steps to the observation deck. These stairs are not usually open to the public. But sometimes, they are used for special events or charity stair-climbing races.

The Vertigo Theatre is located at the base of the tower. This theater has been putting on plays since 2003. They often show mystery plays for both kids and adults.

The tower also has a musical instrument called a carillon. This was given to the city by the local Dutch community in 1975. It was played every day at noon for a while. After being stored, it has now been fixed and plays music again.

The Calgary Tower looks similar in design to the Skylon Tower in Niagara Falls, Ontario.